Last



Patented Oct. 16, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFrici-z,

y cHAnnns n. LUncoTT, or rinLAnELrHrA, rENNsYLvANTnAss'IGNoR To PHILA- c nELrHrA LAsT a :PATTERN co., or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A ooiiroitA- TTON OF PENNSYLVANIA,

Application filed May 27,

This invention relates to improvements in lasts and particularly a last construction whereby the material forming the last is reinforced and strengthened against spliti ting or breaking in use and in which means is constructed and arranged whereby inuse blows or impacts thereon have a tendency to draw and hold the material of which the last' is niade'togetlier and prevent its separating particularlyv along the grain thereof. y The improvement relates particularly to the heel part or portion of the last and includes a driven reinforcing element having relatively steep threads inserted in this part of the last from the topV and extending down through the comb or narrow portion thereof and into the wider or thicker part, being preferably locatednear the rearedge, whereby the material `of this part of the last is securely held together and prevented from splitting or cracking. This reinforcing element is also provided with a comparatively enlarged head so that in use blows or inipacts are received by the element `on itsv head, resulting in a tendency to turn the .element and thus tighten the material of which the last is made.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and such other objects as may hereinafter appear, this invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and then sought. to be defined in the appendedV claims, refer- Y ence being had to the accompanying` drawings forming a part hereof and which show, merely for the purpose of illustrative dis- Closure, a preferred embodiment of my ins vention, it being expressly understood, how ever, that various changes may be madein practicewithin thescope of the claims without digressing from my inventive idea.

lFigure l is alongitudinal section through a shoe last showing my invention.

Figure 2 is a rear end elevation of the last showing the reinforcement element in phantom and dotted lines.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of partof the heel portion of the last showing the parts formingthe subject matter of this invention;V

In the drawings, the numeral l designates a last as a whole and 2 the heel portion or part of the last, the illustration being of a hinged lastn The last, of course, conforms LAST.

1926. Serial No. 111,930

to thefshape ofthe foot and the heel portion or part 2 has the comb or narrow portion 3. This comb or narrowportion 3 is usually' of considerable length and height the use of the last and particularly in the heeling operation itv is subjected to strains, stresses and impacts of considerable force which result frequently in splitting and breaking of the last itself; The upper part of this last is provided with the` layered leather" portion 4 through which and intoy thelast itselfextends a jack pin thimble 5 which is adapted to receive the jack vpin (not shown) for holding the lastv during operation. y' y I 1 f Means for strengthening and reinforcing this portion or part of the last is shown separately in Figure 2 and `comprises" an elongated screw member 6 having a tapered or sharpened nonthreaded point 7 whereby it Vmay be driven. This screw member 6 is threaded on a relatively steep pitch and with a comparatively wide thread and has a flat head ortop 9 with a smooth or non-threaded Y portion l0y betweenV the head ortop `9 and the threaded portion 8. It is adapted to be driven through the leather top portion t of the heel part or portion of the last and into the material of the last itself preferably to the rear of the jack pin thimble 5. lVhen this element is in position the flat head, which is of substantial area, is exposed on top ofthe heel portion oi" part of the last so as to receive blows or impacts during the operationsin which the last is used.

` The driving of this screw or reinforcing element into position .and'any blow or impact or pressure on Vthe head thereof causes-A it to4 turn or tend to turn, l'binding and drawing "the wood ofthe heel portion or part ofthe last together and thereby preventing the same rfrom splitting under impact and pressurewhen inv use, and also affording a direct reinforcement ofthis part` of `the last structurev The screw parallels .the jack pin tliimble andris of sulicient length to extend through` the combor thinportion ofthe heel part of the last, as shown, and down into :the Wider or thick part of the heel Vportion ofthe lait It is qui@ Ilm of sufficient length near the rear edge of the heel portion of this last and thereby prevents the starting of the splitting or cracking of the material forming the last at the rear edge of the same. n

In the construction illustrated, a transverse rod' or rivet Il is passed through the comb or thin partV ot the heel portion and secured in position Vpreferably between the jack pin thimble and the screw-threaded member 8. rlhis construction operates to brace this thin part of the heel portion Of the last in each and every direction and in operation the screw-threaded member or reinforcing element- G will have a continuous tendency to draw the material of the heel portion of the last together and also to prevent the separation of the same as in splitting or cracking. It is to he noted that the unthreaded portion of the screw member is to extend through'i the leather vpart of the heel portion of the last so that the screw thread extends into the wood ofthe heel portion of the last only.

In addition the head being` iatand of substantial extent7 operates as protection for the part of the last-in which it is positioned and receives and distributes the impact from the blows in operation, and transmits this pressure to the screw itself, resulting in a'turning movement or a tendency to turn, thereby tig itening up the structure.

It is to be understood that the last itself is of the standard form usen in connection` has the usual inewith shoe machinery and tallic heel plate 12. n It is customary to drive the heel on the shoe at a single blow under enormous pressure because the heel as a whole isfastened on by the one blow driving all of the nails home, which subjects the last to tremendous pressure, stress and v strains and this invention prevents the splitting, cracking and breaking Vof to these factors.-

What I claim is Y k1. In combination, a shoe last having a heel part or portion provided with a comb or narrow portion, a jack pin thimble extending into said comb or narrowportion from the top thereof and means forreinforcing and drawing the material of tlieromb or narrow portion of the lastv together, said means being located .inthe rear of thejjack pin thimble and extending into the'material of the heel part or portion of the last for a considerable distance, said means including aniy elongated element screw threaded on a steepv -pitch and having an exposed'kv head so that blows inV operation result in a turning movement of the element in the material of the last' due or top of `the screw,

the last so as to bind the grain of the material thereto. f n

2. In combination, a shoe last having a heel part or portionprovided with a comb or narrow portion, ay jack pin thiinble eX- tending into `said comb or narrow portion from the top'thereof and means for reinforcing and drawing the material of the comb or narrow portion of 'the last together, said means being located in the rear of, the jack pin thimble and extending into the material of the heel part or portion of the last for a vconsiderable distance, said means including an elongated `element screw threaded on a steep pitch and having an exposed lieadfso' that blows in operation result in aturning movement thereof in the material of the last so as to bind the grain of the material thereto, said exposed head being fla-t and vof substantial area and adapted to receive blows or impacts during operation and to protect the top' of the comb or narrow portion of the heel and also to transmit these blows to the screw-threaded portion of saidl element.

3. In combination with theheel part 0r porton' of a shoe last, a' reinforcing element positioned in the comb or narrow partthereof, saidv reinforcing element 'being provided with a'driving point, a portion of substantial length'threaded on a relatively steepV pitch and a nat head of relatively substantial area exposed on top of the heel part or portion of the last to receive blows or impacts in operation, whereby the element has a tendency to turn andthus drawor bind they materialV of the last together to prevent cracking or splittingy thereof.

el. In co bination with the heel part or portion of a shoe last, a reinforcing element positioned in the comb or narrow part thereof, said reinforcing element being provided ywith a driving point, a portion of substantial length threaded on-a` relatively steep pitch and a flathead of relatively substantial area exposed on top of the heel part or portion of the last toreceive blows or impacts in operation, whereby the element has a tendency to turn and thus draw or bind the material fof the last togetherk to prevent cracking yor splitting thereof,1said` reinforcnear the rear edge ing element ybeingy located of the heel ypart orportion-of the last and extending throughV thecomb or lnarrow part thereof into the thicker near kthe bottomthereof. n

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I have hereunto set my hand vthis 31st day of March, 1926.

CHARLES n. LUnoo'r'r.

portion of the last 

